1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of archery quivers, and more particularly, to the protective components of bow-mounted archery quivers that shield the sharp blades of hunting arrows that are stored in the quivers.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous examples in the prior art of various types of protective arrow head covers that are components of bow-mounted arrow quivers, but none of these examples is similar structurally to the present invention or provides the advantages of the present invention, which eliminates dulling of the arrow blades and the production of undesirable noises and excess friction when arrows are inserted or withdrawn from the quiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,651 (Ramsey, 1971) discloses a quiver that is removably attachable to a bow without tools and that comprises a metal or plastic guard that covers the head portion of arrows being carried in the quiver. The invention may be mounted onto a bow so as to be usable by either a right-handed or a left-handed archer. The invention comprises an upper horizontal plate and a lower horizontal plate, both of which are manufactured from “rubber material, natural, synthetic, or of other plastic” [col. 3, line 74]. The points of the arrow heads partially penetrate into holes (“transversely extending arrowhead receiving openings”) [col. 3, lines 26-27] that are manufactured into the upper horizontal plate, so that a portion of the sharp cutting edges of the arrow heads are in contact with the outer surfaces of the holes. The shafts of the arrows are held within slotted holes that are manufactured into the lower horizontal plate. The invention further comprises an arrow head shield or cap guard made of plastic material that fits over and around the sharp cutting edges of the arrow heads. In one embodiment, the cap guard incorporates “an elongated block of sponge rubber 210” [col. 6, line 5] in which the “arrowheads 96a are caused to releasably penetrate within the sponge rubber block 210 in the manner shown in FIG. 7” [col. 6, lines 60-61]. From the text descriptions and drawings of this invention, it appears that a portion of the sharp blades of the arrow heads are in contact with either hard plastic or sponge rubber in each of the embodiments.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,062 (Karbo, 1971) discloses a bow-mounted quiver that is adjustable in length. With this invention, arrows are secured by an arrow clip at the lower end and a cup-shaped hood at the upper end. The arrow clip is manufactured from flexible material such as rubber or flexible plastic and comprises a plurality of slots into which the shafts of the arrows are secured. The hood comprises a plurality of arrow receiving slots that appear to be arrow-head shaped [FIG. 2, reference number 21]. The heads of the arrows fit into the slots and are thereby held in a “spaced relationship” [col. 2, line 33]. There is no description of the materials comprising the hood. From FIG. 2, it appears that the sharp blades of the arrow heads are not prevented from contacting the edges of the receiving slots.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,328 (Franklin, 1978) discloses a quiver designed to be worn on the back of an archer. This invention comprises two bridges manufactured from resilient material, each bridge comprising a plurality of slots designed to fit around and secure a plurality of arrow shafts. Arrows are carried with the arrow heads pointed upward, and the arrow heads are protected by a cup-shaped cap that fits around the arrow heads. The cap comprises an internal abutment that is covered with a “resilient pad made of rubber or some other suitable material” [col. 3, lines 10-11], and the points of the arrow heads are pressed against this resilient material in order to secure the arrow heads in position and protect the points of the arrow heads. In one embodiment, the slots of the two bridges are manufactured in a specialized “frustoconical configuration” [col. 2, line 39] that enables an arrow to easily be slid upward through a slot but requires significantly more force to be slid downward through the slot. This feature allows the arrows to be easily installed into the quiver with the arrow heads pushed against the abutment and then holds the arrows in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,734 (Sodaro, 1999) discloses a quick-release, bow-mounted quiver designed to simultaneously carry a first quantity of arrows along the left side of a bow and a second quantity of arrows along the right side of the bow. At the lower end, the invention comprises a molded or machined elastomer arrow shaft holder with a plurality of slots to hold a plurality of arrow shafts. At the upper end, the invention comprises a protective arrow hood manufactured from plastic, metal, composite or laminate materials with two identical sections, one positioned on each side of the bow. Each section is hollow and open on the lower side only. Each section is filled with a replaceable foam rubber insert, and each insert contains conical recesses to receive arrow heads (“Hood sections 210 and 220 are substantially filled with replaceable foam rubber inserts 285 and 290 for holding arrow heads 30 pressed into the foam rubber” [col. 4, lines 58-60]). Arrows are secured into the quiver by inserting the shafts of the arrows into the slots of the arrow shaft holder and pushing the points of the arrow heads into the conical recesses of the foam rubber inserts of the hood.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,299 (Proctor, 2004) discloses a quick-detachable quiver adapted for mounting on a bow, hip belt, tree stand or other suitable structure and providing a vibration-damping mount assembly. The invention comprises one or two arrow holders with slots that fit around the shafts of arrows and a protective hood that “may be formed by injection molding various plastics or other suitable material” [col. 8, lines 12-13]. The hood fits over the heads of arrows secured in the quiver and is filled with one or more removable foam layers “to bury broad head, or other type, arrow tips (not illustrated)” [col. 8, lines 21-22]. One of the foam layers may be removed to accommodate various types of arrow tips “including points, single blade, multi-blade, or mechanically active . . . ” [col. 8, lines 25-26].
U.S. Pat. No. 7,987,842 (McPherson, 2011), U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,256 (McPherson, 2013) and U.S. Pat. No. 9,400,154 (McPherson, 2016) disclose a quiver that may be releasably attached to a bow, tree, tree stand, or other structure. The quiver comprises an arrow gripper than contains a plurality of slots into which arrows are secured and a protective hood that fits around the tips of the arrows. The hood is comprised of “an arrow retaining insert 32, preferably composed of a foam material, with arrowhead slots 100 formed therein” [col. 4, lines 35-36]. The arrowhead slots are generally star-shaped with a generally round center section. The arrowhead slots are specifically shaped so as to interchangeably fit a variety of arrow point types, including single point (target tips), and two-, three- or four-bladed broadhead tips.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,061,341 (Hudkins, 2011) discloses a quick-detachable, bow-mounted quiver that incorporates a tree screw and a bow hook. By use of the tree screw, the quiver may be detached from the bow and attached to a tree while the archer is hunting. By use of the bow hook, the bow may also be attached to the tree, thereby freeing the hands of the archer while waiting for game. The quiver comprises an elastomeric arrow shaft holder and a protective hood. The hood may comprise a “resilient elastomeric or foam insert block that may be used to firmly hold the broadheads” [col. 3, lines 30-31]. No further details of the hood are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,400,153 (Evans, 2016) discloses a combined bow stabilizer/arrow quiver in which arrows may be stored alongside and parallel to a stabilizer shaft, so that the mass of the arrows increases the stabilizing function of the stabilizer assembly. The invention comprises a protective hood, which contains a broadhead hood insert. The insert is comprised of “foam rubber, rubber, polyethylene, or other material commonly used in the art” [col. 9, lines 17-18]. The insert material may be punctured by the broadhead and then compressed around the broadhead; alternately, cuts may be made in the insert material to receive and secure the broadhead. The insert may incorporate a screw or other adjustment feature that provides compression of the insert around the broadhead or locking mechanisms that snap into notches or other features of the broadhead.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2008/0302346 (Notestine) discloses a bow-mounted quiver with a mounting member that is quick-detachable and rotatable. The quiver comprises an arrow gripper with slots that removably receive arrow shafts [0037] and a protective hood that fits around the tips of arrows. The hood comprises a foam insert that “engages the tips of arrows” [0023]. The quiver is designed to accept mechanical or fixed broadheads. The foam is optionally comprised of two layers, with one layer being removable so as to allow the hood to “adjust for different size arrow tips”
No additional details of the hood are disclosed.